University of Georgia (UGA) Costa Rica is an official international residential campus of the University of Georgia. The campus is located in the small community of San Luis de Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica. ¡Pura Vida!

Monday Top 5: Spring Semester Experiences

Even though our UGA Spring Semester students have entered their last couple of weeks in Costa Rica, they have done and seen some amazing things in their time here. Today we have some of the most memorable experiences from the past few months. Take a look and remember, it’s never too early to think about spending your next spring semester here!

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1) A forest full of inspiration. Our campus is surrounded by beautiful forest trails where strangler figs and beautiful bird calls inspire wonder. Can you think of a better location to take an ecology class? Whether taking a tour in the Monteverde Cloud Forest, or walking to breakfast in the morning, students have the chance to see real-life examples of terms such as biodiversity and adaptation.

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2) A welcoming community. Have you ever stayed in a Costa Rican home? As part of their cultural experience here, our students spend time in homestays with local families. They become part of the family for a week or more and might learn how to make empanadas or spend a Saturday swimming in the river. One student is working on a project to document the history of San Luis through interviews and digitizing old photographs. His project has taken him to old, wooden houses where whole families have been raised and through many stories of the past.

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3) Visiting the indigenous Bribri tribe. This trip the students take in the spring captures the meaning of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Not only is it a chance to learn about making chocolate and cacao beans, it opened their eyes to a people with a different belief system and way of life. You can learn more about this trip by reading this excellent account written by our Spanish instructor, Ana Ligia Lopez. (Photos courtesy of Ana Ligia Lopez and Professor Irwin Berstein.)

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4) Unforgettable adventures. Whitewater rafting is only one of many action adventures our students enjoy. They also had the chance to see the Poás volcano, whose crater lake has a pH of nearly zero! Not to mention ziplining through the cloud forest and rescuing baby turtles on the Osa Peninsula. (Photos courtesy of Irwin Berstein.)

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5) Enjoying campus life. We all know about the beauty of the forests and mountains surrounding UGA Costa Rica. But the campus itself also provides a warm, friendly environment to study, relax, and build friendships. These memories of playing ping pong, eating ‘smores, or lining up for hot chocolate every night will not be easily forgotten.